Cradle of the Valiant

The rumbling has subsided but the ashfall is still trickling steadily down like slow falling rain. He shook his head to dislodge some ash. He looked around at the scattered mud houses and was relieved that they are still standing. It has been ages since he put them here and they have only learned how to make simple huts. Not that he would ever tamper with their progress. Considering their past, it is a miracle that they are still alive.

A stick came flying at him.

He deftly caught it in mid air and tossed it back to the giggling children who came running after it. He ruffled their hair and kneeled in front of a young girl.

"Who threw this?" he said in a mock angry tone.

No one said anything. The bigger boys were taken aback but the girl in front of him looked at him steadily and calmly.

He noticed that beneath the innocent and pretty face lie a strong will and a piercing mind.

The world around them turned white and he suddenly saw the girl's future and it was fascinating; colorful and wildly amazing. He saw dozens of similar looking young girls behind her image and they all have that penetrating, intelligent gaze. Until he noticed one that he can't really see; just a shadow behind all the other bright images.

He shook his head and everything went back to normal. The girl is still looking at him.

"Are you okay? I saw that that stick did not hit you," she matter-of-fact declared.

"No…" He laughed. "I was just admiring how pretty you are".

"I am?" A dimple is playing at the corners of her lips. This girl is going to be dangerous. He smiled back and stood up.

"Alright, be careful with your game, fellows" He said as he walked away.

He came to a slightly larger house in the middle of the crude village and a man was seated in front of the door. He was chewing something and he quietly offered him some nuts and leaves. He politely declined.

"How are things, Apo?" he said by way of greeting and at the same time to really ask how things ARE.

"Things are hard but we are surviving. This place is not the most hospitable." The old man spit on the side. He didn't consider it rude.

The nuts and leaves made the old man's teeth reddish. He had it on full display as he grinned to show that he was just joking on his last statement.

"Well…this or back to the bamboo with you," he grinned back.

"We'll take this. At least we have a chance to grow."

"Wise. I knew I got it right when I appointed you leader." He said and the old man guffawed.

An explosion.

Again!

Louder this time. He immediately looked at the volcano but nothing seemed to be happening there.

He looked at the old man happily chewing the rest of his nutty concoction.

No, the explosion happened somewhere else.

Or somewhen.

He politely took his leave. He must look into this matter at once. A reality quake is not one to be ignored.

He went back a ways from the village before changing. The villagers are not yet ready for this sort of thing.

He leapt in the air and was already flapping his wings before the change could fully take effect.

With mighty beats, he effortlessly soared high above the clouds.

The eagle is the perfect creature for this. He can survey a lot more with its super keen eyes.

He looked at the tiny land mass below. It looked almost non-existent with the sea surrounding it on all sides. The waves were tall and mighty as they crashed against the shore and the sides of the mountain ranges.

It will do for now, he thought as he slowly circled above.

An explosion!

The whole island erupted in flames.

He dived.

The rushing air almost tore his wings off but he had to come down as fast as he could.

He landed near the elder's house to find that everything was as he left a few minutes ago.

The old man is nowhere in sight but the pretty girl is there looking at him intently. Alarm is on her eyes.

"Don't be frightened, it's only me," he assured her.

"NO. Something happened. There was a fire." She sobbed.

"You saw something?" He ran to her.

"In my head. Big fire. Many people died." She is almost crying now.

He took her tiny hands into his.

"Calm down…child. Show me what happened," he said and he changed into light. He gently went inside the little girl's head.

What he saw was worse than any nightmare. The girl's scream filled his head and he was engulfed in darkness so dense it was as if he was being entombed alive.

"Hold my hand…" was the last thing he heard as he lost consciousness.